Appetizer Recipes for Your Holiday Party

Keep holiday party guests sated (and happy) with tasty appetizer recipes like crostini, tartlets and more small bites.

Photo 1 of

Baked Prosciutto and Brie With Apple Butter

This easy appetizer strikes the perfect balance between sweet and salty and soft and crunchy while the cinnamon spice from the apple butter gives it a festive flavor. Get Recipe
Chevre and Walnut Tartlets

Tangy goat cheese, sweet figs and crunchy walnuts are layered on a buttery puff pastry. Laura Calder knows how to throw a party with ease. Get Recipe
Baked Baby Fingerling Potatoes

Kelsey bakes baby fingerlings until they're crispy and tops them with creme fraiche and bacon. They're perfectly portioned so guests can have a few without guilt. Get Recipe
Antipasti de Salumi

Use cookie-cutters to create festive shapes out of thin slices of fontina and mozzarella cheeses, then layer with various Italian cold cuts for an antipasti platter that's as fun to look at as it is to eat. Get Recipe
Pork Dumplings

Give your holiday guests a taste of Asia with these pork dumplings dipped in a Sriracha soy sauce. This recipe makes a generous quantity, so keep leftovers in your freezer for an easy snack or impromptu gathering. Get Recipe
Popcorn Rock Shrimp With Spicy Honey

Serve these rock shrimp fresh from the fryer when they're at their maximum crispiness. Your guests will thank you. Get Recipe
Truffle Deviled Eggs

The simple addition of truffle salt makes these deviled eggs decidedly more decadent and what better time to indulge than during the holidays? Get Recipe
Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Profiteroles With Herb Oil

Giada puts a surprising savory spin on profiteroles by adding Parmesan to the dough, then filling them with a mixture of cream, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Get Recipe
Serrano Ham and Manchego Cheese Plate

Serve Michael Chiarello's meat-and-cheese plate with a bottle of red wine to bring out the best in the classic Spanish pairing. Get Recipe
Stuffed Mushrooms (Hongos Rellenos de Chorizo)

Try a Latin-inspired take on this cocktail party classic. Get Recipe
Pumpkin Gyoza

These dumplings, filled with cinnamon-, ginger- and chili-spiced pumpkin puree, will be a hit with your vegetarian and meat-loving guests alike. Get Recipe
Mixed Crostini

Using red pepper, thyme and oregano or prosciutto and pepper flakes, Mario makes sure to please every palate with his varied crostini. Get Recipe
Chorizo Bites With Arugula Pesto

Chuck's easy appetizer pairs chunks of chorizo with fresh homemade pesto in an easy-to-eat party bite. Get Recipe
Spinach and Feta Spanakopita

Kelsey's tasty triangles of Greek spanakopita are ideal party snacks. Get Recipe
Pizzettes

Individual-size pizzas are always a crowd-pleaser, but wow your guests by forsaking red sauce and mozzarella in favor of Giada's topping of caramelized onions, prosciutto and goat cheese. Get Recipe
Thai Marinated Grilled Chicken Skewers

Served with a side of peanut-coconut sauce, these skewers are both sweet and spicy the perfect party conversation starter. Get Recipe
Fried Bocconcini

For a bite-sized, fancied-up version of a favorite guilty pleasure (mozzarella sticks), try Kelsey's recipe using fresh mozzarella bocconcini. Get Recipe
Porcini and Nepitella

Nepitella is an herb that grows wild in certain regions of Italy, and its leaves have a strong flavor that's described as a cross between mint and oregano. If you can't find Nepitella, however, any variety of mint works as a suitable substitute. Get Recipe
Easy Cheese Fondue

Get the festivities started with Jamie Oliver's fondue made with three cheeses: Cheddar, Gruyere and blue. Get Recipe
Crunchy Red Swiss Chard Falafel

This is one fried dish that you can feel less guilty about eating: Swiss chard is loaded with nutritious vitamins and minerals; chickpea flour provides a healthy, low-fat form of protein; and tumeric helps to detoxify the body. Get Recipe
Pimento and Tuna Deviled Eggs

Spiced with chopped pimento and hot paprika, Emeril's deviled eggs pack loads of flavor. Get Recipe
Baked Samosas With Tamarind Chutney

The pulp from tamarind (an Indian date) is an essential ingredient for Bal's sweet-and-spicy Samosas. Get Recipe
Thai-Italian Spring Rolls With Peanut Dipping Sauce

East meets West in Nadia's colorful, meaty spring rolls. Get Recipe
Crunchy Curried Chickpeas

Seasoned with aromatic ginger and thyme, these curried chickpeas get crunchy in the oven instead of the fryer, so they're as healthful as they are addictive. Move over, cocktail peanuts: there's a new snack in town. Get Recipe
Spinach-and-Cheese Dip

Chuck Hughes's creamy, flavorful spinach-and-cheese dip gets even more comforting when served in a warm, toasted bread bowl. Get Recipe
Marinated Olive Salad

Kelsey's marinated olives are just the thing to liven up your antipasti spread. Get Recipe
Almond-Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Prunes

With just three ingredients and ready in only 25 minutes, these easy almond-stuffed, bacon-wrapped prunes combine sweet and salty flavors and a medley of textures. Get Recipe
Crispy Fried-Cheese Squares

Chuck Hughes turns mozzarella sticks into an elegant starter by serving melt-in-your-mouth, crispy fried-cheese squares over a bed of salad. Get Recipe
Risotto Croquettes (Arancini di Riso)

Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos fry arancini studded with ham and fresh mozzarella. Get Recipe
Pork and Prawn Boiled Wontons

Ching-He's boiled wontons are full of lean pork and shrimp, making them the light, flavorful starter to offer guests before the holiday meal or as a passed bite. Get Recipe
Bacon and Cheese Puffers

The eggs in this recipe's batter add fluffiness to the bacon-studded finger food. If you manage to have any left over, they're great for breakfast the next morning as well. Get Recipe
Kitschy Canapes

Laura Calder goes retro with these three easy hors d'ouevres. Get Recipe
Homemade Pickled Veggies

To balance out all that rich holiday food, make Chuck's fresh and tangy pickled veggies. Adding beets to the mix gives the whole jar a seasonally appropriate hue. Get Recipe
Herb-Rolled Quail's Eggs

Hard-boiling naturally bite-sized quail eggs and coating them in za'atar, a Middle Eastern blend of spices and sesame seeds, produces an easy but exotic appetizer. (Can't find quail eggs? Regular small eggs will do.) Get Recipe
Sausage and Stracchino Cheese Crostini

None of your guests will believe that it took only three ingredients to make David Rocco's irresistible crostini. Get Recipe
Brandade Cakes With Caramelized Peppers and Tomatoes

Laura Calder fries her cod-and-potato cakes until golden brown before she decorates them with peppers. Get Recipe
Uyghur Spicy Beef Skewers

The term "Uyghur" actually means "united" or "allied"; so this Turkish-Chinese appetizer has a positive holiday message. Get Recipe
Beef Pasties With Mint, Ginger and Peas

This great-tasting dish has elements of Mexican empanadas, Indian samosas and classic Cornish pasties all rolled into one. Get Recipe
Lentil and Goats Cheese Crostini

Chuck's crostini is layered with big flavors from pancetta and poached tomatoes. Get Recipe
Smoked Salmon Toasts

Bobby Flay's salmon toasts are quick and easy to assemble, so you can spend more time munching with your guests instead of mixing ingredients in the kitchen. Get Recipe